Family
by atwood-fan001
Summary: Rated R just in case. My take on things after 2x05 - SnO.C. Horrible at summaries so just please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Author Note: I do not own any aspect of THE O.C. or it's characters.

The O.C.

Family

By: Mark A Hogan Jr.

Chapter One

The night was young. Ryan sat alone in the pool house as the entire Nicole family gathered for the second time in two days. All but Ryan were present. He remained in the pool house, emotionally destroyed.

He laid on his side as he always did reading one of Seth's comics. He hoped that it would calm his mind. Unfortunately, it was no help.

He finally tossed the comic aside and rolled over on his back. He hadn't talked to anyone since he found out Lindsey could be Caleb's ill-ligament daughter. It was just way to much for him. He wanted to scream so loud that the gods of heaven could hear as clearly as they heard one another. It wouldn't help, the damage was already done.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Yeah," Ryan said just loud enough.

He watched as his "mother" walked into the pool house and closed the door behind her. She walked over to Ryan's bed and sat at the foot of it. He waited for her to speak.

"She's not my half sister," Kirsten said as she looked at the floor.

Ryan looked at Kirsten surprised again, "What?"

"Lindsey's mother had a paternity test done. Mr. Gardener is her true father."

Ryan was relieved. "That's good."

"I'm sorry about all of this," Kirsten said, unable to face her "son."

"What are you sorry for?" Ryan asked curiously.

"For the mess that my family is in. For the family I brought you into." was Kirsten's reply as sorrow overtook her voice.

Ryan sat up for the first time that day. "Don't ever be sorry. If it weren't for you I wouldn't have a family. I'd still be in juvenal hall and a bloody pulp. This isn't your fault."

Kirsten began to sob, "I hate him so much!"

"I know," was all Ryan could say.

Kirsten rested her head on Ryan's shoulder, "I hate him for ruining my family! I hate him for ruining my mother's memory! I just hate him!"

Ryan held the crying Kirsten like a son would his mother as she sobbed. He felt miserable for her and wanted to help anyway he could. He finally came up with a solution.

"Lets go inside," he said quietly. "Tell everyone goodnight and have Sandy help you up to bed."

"Alright," Kirsten said between sniffles.

Ryan helped Kirsten into the house where everyone was sitting. They watched Ryan help her into the new living room where she told everyone goodnight. Well, almost everyone.

"Kiki," Caleb said standing from his chair.

Before he had a chance to finish Ryan spoke up in front of everyone. "Don't even waste your breath. Can't you see that all you ever care about is yourself, and because of that you have crushed your daughter! I can't believe you are so self centered that you would do something like this! You are as pathetic as my father who is rotting in jail because of his self centeredness. Maybe you should too."

With that Ryan motioned for Sandy to help Kirsten and him upstairs. Once Ryan, Sandy, and Kirsten walked to the stairs Ryan stepped back and Kristen turned to look at him. She smiled as a small tear ran down her face.

"You are so wonderful, Ryan," Kirsten said, "Thank you."

Ryan looked at Kirsten, "Get some sleep. We have some big days coming up."

Kirsten smiled and looked at Sandy, "He's grown up."

"I'm proud of you, Ryan." Sandy said with a smile, "I have never heard you speak your mind like that, in defense of anyone before."

Ryan just smiled a little. As Sandy and Kirsten made their way upstairs Ryan walked back through the living room. Everyone was dead silent as Caleb stood in shock from Ryan's little speech. The only person that seemed not to be out of reality was Lindsey. He looked at her before lowering his head and walking out of the house.

Ryan slammed the door to the pool house once he was inside. He slammed it so hard that the glass nearly cracked from the force. He walked over to the bed and laid down on it. He rolled over on his side facing away from the door. He let out a long sigh as he began to stare at the wall.

Ryan heard the pool house door opened slowly. He could hear footsteps echoing throughout the pool house as the person entered and then closed the door behind them. He didn't look up, not wanting to look at or talk to anyone, especially Caleb.

"Ryan?" the young lady's voice called out softly.

He didn't answer.

"Are you alright?" the voice called out again.

By now he could tell it was Lindsey who was trying to talk with him. He tried to hold back his tears as he collected his thoughts. He didn't want Lindsey to see him cry. He felt so bad from yelling at Caleb in front of everyone, especially Lindsey.

"I'm sorry," Ryan said quietly.

Lindsey sat on the bed, looking at Ryan, "What are you sorry for?"

"For my actions in the house," Ryan said, his face still facing the other way.

Lindsey took one of Ryan's hands in her own. She rolled him over, seeing his tear filled eyes for the first time in days. She sat there for a moment before speaking to him, careful of what she said.

"You're sorry for standing up for Kirsten to her horrible father?" Lindsey asked confused. "Why should you be sorry for that?"

Ryan looked away from her, "Not for standing up for her, but my speech to him and anger. I was afraid you would be afraid of me."

Lindsey giggled, "Me afraid of you? Sorry Ryan, but since I've gotten to know you I think of you as a teddy bear."

Ryan looked up at Lindsey. His eyes were no longer full of tears. His baby blue eyes were making Lindsey go wild. She leaned down and kissed him. She wrapped her arms around him as he pulled her toward him.

After a few minutes Ryan pulled away, "I am so glad that you are not Kirsten's half sister."

Lindsey smiled, "You have no idea."

Julie leaned to whisper into Jimmy's ear, "You should take the kids to your boat. They don't need to hear us discussing this."

"Zack has a car," Jimmy said quietly. "Have him take them all to the boat."

Julie turned and walked over to Zack, "You need to take all the kids to Jimmy's boat. I don't want them around here right now."

Zack nodded in response to Julie. He walked away to find Marissa, Summer Seth Ryan and Lindsey. Julie turned back to Jimmy, but he had retreated to the kitchen. Caleb came up behind Julie and tried to wrap his arms around her.

"Don't even," Julie said into his ear.

She walked away, leaving Caleb standing alone in the living room. He stood there and watched his wife walk away from him. Sandy appeared from the stair case and walked over to his client. Caleb didn't even blink.

"I'm not sorry about what Ryan said, Cal," Sandy said quietly.

Caleb looked past Sandy, "I didn't expect you to be."

"I made an appointment to see the judge on Monday," Sandy said.

Caleb finally looked at his son-in-law, "I figured that you would."

"Give it up, Cal," Sandy said. "You've already destroyed everything you had. Just give it up and move one. Maybe someday Kirsten and the rest of your family can forgive you."

Caleb looked at Sandy, "Why is it that you are always right, Sanford?"

"I'm a lawyer," Sandy said, "That's my job."

Caleb looked at his son-in-law again, "I was wrong about you, Sanford. I was wrong. Now if you will excuse me, I must explain myself to everyone."

Sandy watched as Caleb walked away. He couldn't help but think that maybe he finally realized his flaws and would change. It was a lot to expect from the old man, but maybe not too much. But something kept sticking around in the back of his mind.

"_What if this isn't as over as we think?"_

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2

The O.C.

Family

By: Mark A Hogan Jr.

Chapter Two

Zack drove down the highway toward Newport Harbor for the twelfth time that night. Summer sat in front with Zack while Marissa sat in the back with Seth. No one had said a word since they left the Cohen home.

Seth stared out the window, watching the signs go by. He soon noticed the sign that said their exit was one mile ahead. Summer noticed as well. She hoped that he wouldn't ask Zack to drop him off somewhere else that would leave her with just the other two.

"Zack," Seth said quietly not turning from the window, "Could you drop me off at the Bait Shop?"

"Sure, Seth." Zack replied.

Summer and Marissa turned and looked at Seth. Zack focused on the road, wanting to do as the girls had done. Instead he watched the road, hit the turn signal, and turned down the ramp toward Newport Harbor.

Summer wanted to let one of her rage blackouts go on him. When she heard Seth say, "the Bait Shop" she knew why he wanted to go there. Alex was working and Seth was her new little fling. She just wanted to scream.

Zack eventually pulled over to the side of the street, right in front of the Bait Shop. He turned to face Seth, but it was too late. Seth had already gotten out of the car and slammed the door. Zack sighed and tuned back around, letting his arms fall to his lap. He didn't know what to do.

"He'll call if he needs a ride," Zack said with a sigh. "Lets go."

Zack put the car into gear, but before he could take his foot off the break Summer had flown out of the car and was running to catch up with Seth. She ran in front of him to try and cut him off from entering the bar. She stood there, trying to catch her breath as Seth slowly walked up to her.

"What is wrong with you?!" she shouted. "We were told to go to Mr. Cooper's boat. Get back in the car!"

Seth looked at Summer and blinked a few times, "Go ahead and go to the boat. We all know how hard it is when we are around each other to not have an awkward time. If I stay here you, Marissa, and Zack won't have to worry about anything awkward."

"Get in the car, Seth!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, people coming into and out of the bar now watching them.

"No." Seth said quietly, looking toward the ground.

Without thinking she raised her hand and slapped Seth with all her might straight across his face. When the realization of her actions sank in she raised her hands to her face in disbelief. Seth stood motionless and not even phased from the blow.

"Feel better now?" Seth asked neutral. "I know you've wanted to do that for a while now, huh?"

"I'm so sorry, Seth!" Summer said with tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hit you…"

"What is going on out here?!" a female voice called from inside the Bait Shop. "Seth, are you alright?"

At this point Alex came running out from the bar full force. She sped past Summer and ran straight to Seth. In the light from the street lamps you could see blood beginning to drip from his nose and the huge, red handprint now covering his left cheek. Alex turned and looked to Summer.

"What the hell is you deal, Bitch?" she yelled at Summer. "First you act as if he never existed and now you completely ignore him because of something stupid that he's long since made up for. You've got some real nerve!"

Summer stood speechless. She couldn't believe what she had done, and that she could have even thought about doing that to Seth was heartbreaking. She wanted to break down and cry right then and there, but tried to hold it in.

"Come on, Seth," Alex said as she slowly ushered Seth inside. "You know, Summer, even when he's with another girl you're all he talks about."

With those final words Alex and Seth disappeared into the Bait Shop.

"Seth, talk to me." Alex pleaded for the one hundredth time. "It's me, Alex."

Seth sat on the bar stool paralyzed. He was in shock from Summer's slap and with all that was on his mind he zoned into his own reality. Alex tried everything she could to get Seth to talk, none if it was working.

"Come on," Alex said, finally giving up and helping the comatose Cohen off the chair. "You can rest in my office."

Alex shoved her way through the large crowd of people that filled the Bait Shop. She opened her door and helped Seth over to the couch where he slumped over, his trance in full force. She adjusted him so that he was laying on his back and then returned to the costumers, checking on him occasionally out of worry.

__

"God, Seth," she said to herself, "I hope you're alright. If you need anything, I'm here."

Zack left Marissa and Summer at the boat. Marissa consoled a crying Summer most of the evening. She was so upset about slapping Seth and then what she must have looked like to everyone that was watching. Marissa held her friend until she cried herself asleep. Marissa moved the sleeping Summer into the guest bed and returned to the galley. She grabbed a bottle of vodka and opened it, sighing before taking a drink.

__

"First Summer and Seth, the me and Ryan," she said in her head. "Now me and DJ, and soon Summer and Zack. Are we all meant to be alone?"

To Be Continued…


	3. Chapter 3

The O.C.

Family

By: Mark A. Hogan Jr.

Chapter Three

Ryan could hear the sound of something shattering as he snuggled close to Lindsey inside the pool house. He looked up at the clock to see that it was ten thirty and the sun was shining bright. He sat up slowly as another crashing noise came from inside the house. Lindsey slowly stirred of her sleep.

"What's going on?" she asked as she yawned.

Ryan ran to one of the pool house windows and tried to see inside the house, "I don't know. Stay here, let me check it out."

Before Lindsey could object Ryan was out the door, shutting with a soft thud. Lindsey sat up on the bed and watched Ryan enter the house through the patio doors. She looked around for her shoes, finding them near the bed she slipped them on and slowly followed him into the house.

* * *

"Kiki, stop!" Caleb said sternly as another piece of Kirsten's home was thrown at his head, breaking on the floor behind him. 

Kirsten picked up another piece of glass, "Get out of my house!"

"Please, Kiki," Caleb said dodging the glass, "I just want to explain myself…"

Kirsten looked up at her dad, two vases in her hands, "I don't care! Get out!"

Ryan ran into the new family room to find Kristen behind the bar throwing anything she could at her father to make sure that he kept his distance. He waited a moment to see what Kirsten did as Caleb attempted to dodge all her throws. Ryan soon entered, standing in front of Caleb blocking him from Kirsten and Kirsten from him.

"I think you should leave," Ryan said quietly to the tall white-haired man.

Caleb looked at Ryan, "Excuse me?"

"I think you should leave," Ryan said again. "Now."

Caleb looked at Ryan for a moment before pushing Ryan backward, "Get out of my way, Scum Child."

"I said you should leave," Ryan said again.

This time Caleb took a swing at Ryan, landing it right on Ryan's left cheek. Ryan stumbled back a few feet but quickly regained his balance. Everything was a blur for a moment, but he was quickly brought back to reality as he hear Kristen scream.

"Don't touch my son!"

Kirsten raised her hands above her head, a large liquor bottle above her head until she heard a young girl screaming from the entrance that lead to the kitchen. Everyone turned to see Lindsey running to Ryan, who was still standing where he had stumbled a few moments before.

"Stop!" she screamed, tears running down her face.

Caleb spoke softly in shock, "Lindsey… I'm so sorry."

"Dad," she said sternly, "Just leave."

Caleb tried to object, "But Lindsey…"

"Go," she said as she turned her attention to Ryan.

Caleb looked at Kirsten, and then to Lindsey. He stood in silence for a few moments before two men walked in from the front entrance way, pulling his arms behind his back. He could feel a cold metal object being locked onto both wrists, forcing his arms to remain there.

One of the men finally spoke, "Caleb Nicole, you are under arrest for trespassing and domestic disturbance. "

"Take these things off me!" Caleb snapped at the officers.

The officer continued his speech, "You have the right to remain silent…"

"I know my rights," Caleb growled angrily.

The two officers escorted Caleb out of the room just as Sandy walked in. He looked at Lindsey who was hugging Ryan as the shock of what happened slowly sank in. He immediately ran to Kirsten who had sank behind the bar, her face buried in her hands as she sobbed.

"Are you alright?" Sandy asked as he knelt beside her.

Kirsten didn't reply, she simply tackled Sandy with a hug that nearly sent both of them flying onto the floor as she cried. He held her close and whispered into her ear. Ryan stood silently, holding Lindsey as she shook.

"It's alright, Sandy," Ryan said quietly. "I'm the only one that was hurt."

Sandy turned to see Ryan, a large mark appearing on his cheek, "He hit you?"

"I told him he should leave," Ryan said looking at the floor, "He shoved me the first time, but then he hit me."

"Lindsey!?" a female's voice called from the front door.

Lindsey lifted her head just high enough from Ryan's shoulder to call out, "We're in here, Mom."

Her mother ran into the family room frantically, "I just saw the police putting Caleb into the squad car… Ryan!"

By now she had noticed the mark on his cheek, "I'm fine. Don't worry, everyone else is alright."

"Thank God!" she said with a sigh of relief.

Kirsten slowly retook control of herself, "Sandy,"

Everyone turned and looked at Kirsten as Sandy responded, "What is it, Sweetheart?"

"I want to press charges on Dad for hitting Ryan," she said. "I want him to pay for hitting Ryan. If Seth had been here, he might have hit him too."

Sandy helped Kirsten to her feet, "Don't worry, Honey. He's gone for now. Seth's safe over at a friends and Ryan and Lindsey are safe. Lets go get some breakfast and try to put this behind us."

"That's a good idea," Ryan said as Lindsey still clung to him.

Everyone slowly agreed with Sandy. They all left to clean up and met back at the Range Rover. They all crammed into the SUV and took off toward town. No one said a word. Sandy drove with Kirsten in the passenger seat, holding his hand tightly. Ryan sat behind Sandy, Lindsey sitting in the middle between her mom and Ryan, holding her mom's hand and resting her head on Ryan's shoulder.

Lindsey looked up to see the mark on Ryan's face taking a darker color, "You're going to have a pretty dark eye soon."

Ryan smiled slightly, "It's not the first time since I lived here. I got one defending Seth from a guy named Luke the first night I was here."

Kirsten turned to look at Ryan, "That's why both of you were so beat up and drunk?"

"Yeah, except I wasn't drunk, that was Seth," Ryan said as the smile grew larger, "I got the black eye."

Kirsten was obviously holding back tears, "I'm so sorry, Sweetheart. At the time I wasn't sure about you and I jumped to conclusions."

"Al that matters is that we're together," Ryan said resting his head on the head rest, "as a family."

Everyone couldn't help but let a small smile cross on their faces and said, "Here here."

The car sped down the road toward downtown Newport, the groups' spirits were beginning to rise as the moved away from the house and the scene of the morning's event. They all relaxed as they were moving toward one of the family's favorite take outs, Chinese food.

* * *

"Ugh…" Seth said as he sat up, the morning's light forcing him to squint. 

He could hear someone opening the door to the room and speaking, "Morning, Sunshine."

"Alex…?" Seth called out still somewhere between sleep world and reality.

He felt her sit on the bed next to him, "Yeah, it's me."

"Where am I?" he asked as if in a daze.

She smiled, "My place. You had Zack drop you off and as you were heading into the Bait Shop. Summer cut you off and slapped you. I ran out and pulled you inside and once we closed, I brought you home with me… better than the couch in the bar's office."

"Thanks…" Seth said as the daze began to subside. "What time is it?"

Alex looked over to her nightstand, "It's about eleven forty-five."

"Oh shit," Seth said as he scrambled out of the bed, "My parents are going to freak."

Alex used one arm to push Seth back down on the bed, "You dad called your cell nearly two hours ago. I told him you were here and that you were fine so he said he'd call back later. He wasn't pissed. I told him what happened."

"Oh great…" Seth said quietly, "now the parentals get to pry into my personal life again."

Alex pulled the currently self-absorbed Seth into a short passionate kiss, "Come on, I made some eggs for breakfast. You better like them or I'll make you bleed too."

"Haha," Seth said with a smile, "I could take you."

Alex smiled, "If you think I'm as weak as Summer, you're in for a world of hurt."

"Yeah, whatever," Seth said sarcastically.

Alex pulled lightly on Seth's arm as she stood up, "Come on, eggs are getting cold."

"I'm coming," Seth said as he slowly stood up from the bed and gaining his balance back.

He followed through the small apartment and into the kitchen. They ate scrambled eggs and discussed what happened with Summer the night before and how Seth was feeling. Alex tried all she could to keep Seth happy and laughing, succeeding much better than Seth and his rambling jokes. Soon the two were playfully pushing each other around until she shoved him into her room, slamming the door behind her.

TO BE CONTINUED…


End file.
